Frank Lampard under scrutiny as Chelsea go into must-win game against Fulham
Chelsea’s position in the Premier League table is one of the most intriguing aspects of the current season. Despite spending millions of pounds in the summer, the Blues are yet to really show signs of any improvement in the current campaign.
Frank Lampard’s side went on an impressive run at the beginning of the season but inconsistency crept into their ranks, culminating in a series of poor results.
The Blues currently occupy ninth place in the league and are 10 points behind leaders Manchester United. This is certainly not what many Chelsea fans expected following the star signings that walked through the doors of Stamford Bridge in the summer.
If there’s anything more worrying than the club’s slump in form, it is that fact their summer signings are yet to make any meaningful impact at the club. Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Hakim Ziyech are all yet to replicate the form, which made them untouchable at their previous clubs.
Chelsea’s form has put Lampard under the spotlight
Ziyech showed flashes of his brilliance early in the season but has been blighted by niggling injuries in recent weeks. Werner and Havertz, though, are clearly struggling to adapt to the English game.
The German duo scored during last week’s FA Cup game against Morecambe. However, they still have a lot to prove against tougher opposition in the league. Chelsea cannot continue on this patchy path if they want to be successful this season.
The former midfielder admitted this week that the atmosphere in training hasn’t been the best following the club’s poor recent form.
“My concern has been training and the atmosphere around that because when you haven’t won for a few games, it’s clear the players need to stay positive,” Lampard said, as quoted by Chelseafc.com. "That starts from the staff. I have seen good reactions from the players. They have worked hard."
"We have had two pretty long weeks of training for pretty much the first time this season. We have had a chance to work in training on the bigger elements of our game. We have worked at a really physical level, which is important if you want to improve as a team," Lampard added.
Fulham clash is a must-win for Chelsea
Following a run of two wins in their last eight games, Lampard is running out of time to convince the Chelsea hierarchy that he is the right man for the job.
The Blues boss was given a reprieve last season when he led the club to a fourth-place finish despite their transfer ban. However, a lot of investment has been made in the squad and better results were expected from the team this season.
Chelsea will face Fulham on Saturday in a game that is a must-win for the London side. Victory will ensure that the Blues move closer to the top four, but a defeat could see them drop to the bottom half of the table at the end of the weekend.
“No matter what squad you have, and particularly if you have young or new players, you need time to work,” Lampard said in his pre-match press conference, as quoted by Chelseafc.com.
The fact, though, is that he has very little time to turn things around, and failing to win against Fulham could result in the manager's sacking.